Baghdad, Aug 26: The head of a technical committee charged with working out procedures for drafting a new Iraqi constitution said today his team would complete its work within one and a half months. "The committee ... Will shortly start consultations with broad segments of Iraqi society and meetings with influential figures, experts in constitutional law, political parties and religious dignitaries" to formulate a mechanism for the proposed constitutional assembly, Fuad Massum told reporters. The committee's "mission will take a month, or a month and a half, but not more," following which it will present a report to the interim governing council, which formed the committee on August 11, he said.

It would be "better" if the assembly that will draft Iraq's constitution is elected, "but if this proves difficult or time-consuming, we might search for another way," Massum said without elaborating. He said upcoming consultations by his 25-member team would include grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani, a top Shiite Muslim religious authority who has frowned on the prospect of having a Constitution drafted by US-appointed, rather than elected, Iraqis.

The governing council, which is supposed to shepherd post-Saddam Hussein Iraq to general elections not expected before a year, was appointed by the US-led administration occupying the country.

Bureau Report